Producer visits LJH classroom, interviews students

Published 8:00 pm, Monday, July 2, 2007

PIGEON  Diana Schulzs junior high science students had many questions to answer during class on a late day in May, but the questions werent from a teacher or on a test  they were from a producer of a radio journalistic website who was interested in alternative energy.

By TRACI L. WEISENBACH

PIGEON  Diana Schulzs junior high science students had many questions to answer during class on a late day in May, but the questions werent from a teacher or on a test  they were from a producer of a radio journalistic website who was interested in alternative energy.

Chris McCarus, executive producer with www.michigannow.org, came to interview Schulz and her students May 29. McCarus had visited Noble Environmental Power LLC in Ubly before he came to see a lesson on wind turbines in Schulzs classroom.

I guess you could say he first documented the real life application of wind power and then came to my classroom to see how I teach my students about renewable energy, its application in the classroom and how it transfers to real life, particularly here in Huron County where we are experiencing a boom  or potential boom  of wind turbine farms, Schulz said.

McCarus saw Laker students construct and test model wind turbines, figuring out how different blade designs affect efficiency and velocity. Students used a computer program to analyze information.

Schulz is happy her students had the opportunity to talk to McCarus. Im very proud of my students and thought they did a nice job answering (McCaruss) impromptu questions, Schulz said.

McCarus said hed previously heard about the Laker Elementary windmills before heading to Noble in May, and when he was in Ubly, he was reminded of the unique school project.

He said what impressed him the most about what he saw at Lakers was the fact they have the windmills up. He also was pleased to see students doing a hands-on project focusing on wind power.

I have to give (Schulz) credit for teaching the importance of alternative energy, he said.

McCarus said he really enjoyed his time in Huron County. He does many stories on land use and preserving farmland, and hes happy to see agriculture being so well preserved in the county. He said he believes the mix of agriculture and wind farms makes sense for the county.

He said his online interview with Schulz and her students will be posted online at www.michigannow.org in August.

Schulz said when she was a Laker student, the schools motto was The Green Machine, and she said she believes that motto fits us more now than ever as we produce some of our own electricity (with the three 65 kilowatt turbines by the elementary).

I feel so strongly about renewable energy and what my students accomplish, she noted.

Schulz recently took fourth place in the junior high division in the Walter P. Chrysler Closing the Technology Gap in Education Teacher Award program. She received $500 to use in her classroom.

The greatest reward is teaching students the merits and benefits of renewable versus nonrenewable energy resources, particularly wind power, Schulz said. It will be through education that students and the public alike will begin to embrace Michigans greatest potential, of which wind is one of the greatest.